


For Keeps

by iRockYourSocks



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 06:52:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1002285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iRockYourSocks/pseuds/iRockYourSocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because she never told him that she forgave him, and he’ll never know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Keeps

**Author's Note:**

> An old thing from my tumblr.

She breathed out a shuddering sigh, her healing water shaking, trembling, as she ran her hands up and down his torso. No, the _water_ wasn’t shaking; her hands were.

Katara couldn’t heal the damage inside him, tears streaming down her face.

She couldn’t let him die, not this infuriatingly brave boy with messy hair and a charming smile.

No, he couldn’t die, this charismatic leader taking care of a bunch of misguided misfits. Sure, he had done bad things, but his heart was in the right place.

Everyone around them, Sokka, Toph, Aang. Longshot and Smellerbee. Everyone was silent as they watched her crack. She could faintly hear Smellerbee sniffling, but it was background noise, a humming in the distance.

A hand lightly grasped her wrist and tugged, prompting Katara to look down into eyes the color of rich earth. “It’s okay Katara,” he wheezed, his other hand reaching into his pocket. “I’ll be fine. And…” with a grunt, he pulled out a cloth object, “I never forgot about you.”

The water splashed onto his shirt, the fabric soaking up the moisture. She held a hand up to her mouth, a heaving sob threatening to wrack through her frame.

In his pocket, for who knows how long, was the ridiculous hat that she made for him.

This infuriating, dying boy never forgot about her. Even though she froze him to a tree, nearly pelted him with icicles, she wished they had more time together, more time to grow as friends.

Because she never told him that she forgave him.

And he’ll never know.


End file.
